Take heed of LeBron James’ advice and get off TNT sideline reporter Allie LaForce’s back for Popovich question

Those words came from LeBron James on his drive home to quell the social-media uproar over the TNT sideline reporter asking James on live TV, moments after the Cavaliers' Game 2 victory over Indiana, about the death of Gregg Popovich's wife, Erin.

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Those words should serve as a reminder about the constant rush to judgment that pervades so many aspects of our daily viewing lives, be it with sports or entertainment or politics or whatever else interests you enough to feel the need to comment immediately and too often without knowing all of the facts.

Sure, LeBron's initial reaction and answer was emotional and raw and suggested to many watching that he was learning this awful news, which had been reported earlier during the game, for the first time.

LeBron James explains that Allie LaForce had cleared the question with him before asking it. (Jason Miller/Getty Images)

The backlash on Twitter — as it often is — was swift and presumptive and, as usual, often rude and over-the-line — ripping LaForce in various coarse ways for insensitively blindsiding LeBron and putting him in that position so soon after the game had ended without warning.

It turns out, as James posted in a video on his ride home clarifying the sequence of events, that LaForce had informed him of Erin Popovich's death and cleared the topic with him before going to air.

In his subsequent post, after reiterating his sympathies to Popovich and his family, James stressed, "Also, guys, please get off Allie LaForce's back because she followed the proper protocol and she warned me. Get off her back, man. She's very professional and she does a great job at her work."

Look, all of us in the media have been in the position of asking subjects we cover uncomfortable questions, and I have to believe a TNT producer told LaForce to get the game's biggest star's reaction to terrible news involving someone he has a close relationship with in the NBA.

It's a legitimate and newsworthy question to ask as long as you're not catching the subject off guard, and LaForce was doing her job. Perhaps the only criticism I'd have is over the wording of the question; she could have let viewers know somehow that they previously had discussed the news off the air, to eliminate any question over its intent and timing.

Golden State star Kevin Durant and coach Steve Kerr similarly were asked about Erin Popovich's death earlier in the day at Warriors practice.

"Seriously?" Durant responded before taking a lengthy pause. "Prayers and condolences go out to his family. Damn. I don't know what to say, man."

Either way, James generally has been open to taking questions about a variety of topics unrelated to simply what's happening on the court, and while emotional, his thoughtful response reflected his willingness to answer it, expressing love for Popovich and his family and calling the news "devastating."

"The NBA family, we stick together," James said. "I know we compete every night, but something like this happens, and it just puts everything in perspective."

Allie LaForce (Charles Krupa/AP)

Of course, the revelation later that LeBron previously had been made aware of the news also prompted subsequent knee-jerk criticisms directed at him on social media for "acting" on camera as if he was learning about it for the first time.

In his video afterward, James also felt compelled to address this, saying, "Once I started talking about it, once we were on air, actually my emotions just kind of took over. That was just my emotions coming straight from my heart."

It seems like everyone's emotions have taken over here, as usual, all looking to be the first to pounce.

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Heed LeBron's insight, a sense of perspective could be used here, by everyone.

OUTTA BOTTE EXPERIENCE

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— And really well done by Capitals winger Brett Connolly for making sure that young female fan finally got a puck the other night. The adult male stealing the first two pucks from her and giving them to those boys? Yeah, not so much.